Djokovic during his first-round match against Robin Haase at the United States Open.
Gallery of Novak Djokovic
2010
Djokovic at the United States Open.
Gallery of Novak Djokovic
2011
Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom
Djokovic celebrates upon defeating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and clinching the world No. 1 ranking following his victory in the semi-finals of the Wimbledon Championships.
Gallery of Novak Djokovic
2014
New York City, New York, United States
Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts to winning the second set against Kei Nishikori of Japan during their men's singles semifinal match on Day Thirteen of the 2014 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 6, 2014 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City.
Gallery of Novak Djokovic
2014
New York City, New York, United States
Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts against Kei Nishikori of Japan during their men's singles semifinal match on Day Thirteen of the 2014 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 6, 2014 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City.
Gallery of Novak Djokovic
2014
New York City, New York, United States
Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts against Kei Nishikori of Japan during their men's singles semifinal match on Day Thirteen of the 2014 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 6, 2014 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City.
Gallery of Novak Djokovic
2014
New York City, New York, United States
Novak Djokovic of Serbia returns a shot against Kei Nishikori of Japan during their men's singles semifinal match on Day Thirteen of the 2014 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 6, 2014 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City.
Gallery of Novak Djokovic
2015
Wimbledon, London, United Kingdom
Djokovic during his match against Bernard Tomic at the Wimbledon.
Gallery of Novak Djokovic
2018
Djokovic serving at the Monte-Carlo Masters.
Gallery of Novak Djokovic
2019
Viale del Foro Italico, 00135 Roma RM, Italy
Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates against Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina in their Men's Single Quarter Final Match during Day Six of the International BNL d'Italia at Foro Italico.
Gallery of Novak Djokovic
2020
26 avenue du Général Sarrail, 75016 Paris, France
Novak Djokovic of Serbia plays a forehand during his Men's Singles quarterfinals match against Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain on day eleven of the 2020 French Open at Roland Garros on October 7, 2020 in Paris, France.
Gallery of Novak Djokovic
2020
26 avenue du Général Sarrail, 75016 Paris, France
Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates after winning a point during his Men's Singles quarterfinals match against Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain on day eleven of the 2020 French Open at Roland Garros on October 7, 2020 in Paris, France.
Gallery of Novak Djokovic
2020
Flushing Meadow - Corona Park, Flushing, NY 11368, United States
Novak Djokovic of Serbia practices at the 2020 Western & Southern Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in the Queens borough of New York City on August 18, 2020.
Gallery of Novak Djokovic
2020
Belgrade, Serbia
Novak Djokovic of Serbia and his brothers Marko Djokovic and Djordje Djokovic attend the Adria Tour Final match between Dominic Thiem of Austria and Filip Krajinovic of Serbia on June 14, 2020 in Belgrade, Serbia.
Gallery of Novak Djokovic
2020
Belgrade, Serbia
Novak Djokovic of Serbia speaks to the media at a news conference on the upcoming Adria Tour tennis tournament at the Novak Tennis Centre on May 25, 2020 in Belgrade, Serbia.
Gallery of Novak Djokovic
2020
Belgrade, Serbia
Novak Djokovic returns the ball during a tennis doubles match at the court of the Novak Tennis Center following the opening program of the Adria Tour, a charity exhibition hosted by the Novak Djokovic Foundation on June 12, 2020 in Belgrade, Serbia.
Gallery of Novak Djokovic
Since 2003 Novak has been a professional tennis player.
Gallery of Novak Djokovic
Novak, winning the Masters Cup
Gallery of Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic
Gallery of Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic
Achievements
Membership
Awards
Order of St. Sava of the First Degree
2011
Novak received the Order of St. Sava of the First Degree.
Centrepoint Award
2012
Novak received the Centrepoint Award.
ITF World Champion Award
2012
France
Novak received the ITF World Champion award.
Order of Karađorđe's Star
2012
Novak received the Order of the Karađorđe's Star of the 1st degree.
Vermillion Medal
2012
Novak Djokovic receiving the Vermillion Medal for Physical Education and Sports from Prince Albert of Monaco.
Marca Leyenda
2016
Djokovic received the Marca Leyenda award.
Norman Brookes Challenge Cup
2019
Birdwood Ave, South Yarra VIC 3141, Australia
Novak Djokovic of Serbia poses with the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup after winning the Australian Open at Picnic, Royal Botanical Gardens.
Laureus Sports Award
Novak received the Laureus Sports Award.
Order of the Republika Srpska
Dodik presented the Order of the Republika Srpska to Novak Djokovic.
Grand Slam Singles Trophy
Novak Djokovic holds the Grand Slam Singles Trophy.
Djokovic celebrates upon defeating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and clinching the world No. 1 ranking following his victory in the semi-finals of the Wimbledon Championships.
Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates winning championship point in his men's final match against Rafael Nadal of Spain during day fourteen of the Australian Open at Melbourne Park.
Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts to winning the second set against Kei Nishikori of Japan during their men's singles semifinal match on Day Thirteen of the 2014 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 6, 2014 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City.
Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts against Kei Nishikori of Japan during their men's singles semifinal match on Day Thirteen of the 2014 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 6, 2014 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City.
Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts against Kei Nishikori of Japan during their men's singles semifinal match on Day Thirteen of the 2014 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 6, 2014 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City.
Novak Djokovic of Serbia returns a shot against Kei Nishikori of Japan during their men's singles semifinal match on Day Thirteen of the 2014 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on September 6, 2014 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City.
Champion Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates with his coach, Boris Becker, following his victory during the Men's Singles final match against Andy Murray of Great Britain on day fifteen of the French Open at Roland Garros.
Church Rd, Wimbledon, London SW19 5AE, United Kingdom
Novak Djokovic of Serbia plays a forehand during the Gentlemen's Singles quarter-final match against Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic on day nine of the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.
Rafael Nadal of Spain and Novak Djokovic of Serbia react after watching a video replay while on the sidelines during the Tie Break Tens ahead of the Australian Open at Margaret Court Arena.
Flushing Meadow - Corona Park, Flushing, NY 11368, United States
Novak Djokovic of Serbia reacts as he walks off the court after retiring due to a shoulder injury during his Men's Singles fourth round match against Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland on day seven of the US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates a point in his Men's Singles Final match against Rafael Nadal of Spain during the Australian Open at Melbourne Park.
Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates against Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina in their Men's Single Quarter Final Match during Day Six of the International BNL d'Italia at Foro Italico.
Rafael Nadal of Spain shakes hands at the net after his three-set victory against Novak Djokovic of Serbia in the men's final during day eight of the International BNL d'Italia at Foro Italico.
Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates winning the Men's Singles final against Roger Federer of Switzerland during Day Thirteen of The Championships - Wimbledon at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club.
Novak Djokovic of Serbia plays a forehand during his Men's Singles quarterfinals match against Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain on day eleven of the 2020 French Open at Roland Garros on October 7, 2020 in Paris, France.
Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates after winning a point during his Men's Singles quarterfinals match against Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain on day eleven of the 2020 French Open at Roland Garros on October 7, 2020 in Paris, France.
Flushing Meadow - Corona Park, Flushing, NY 11368, United States
Novak Djokovic of Serbia practices at the 2020 Western & Southern Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in the Queens borough of New York City on August 18, 2020.
Novak Djokovic of Serbia and his brothers Marko Djokovic and Djordje Djokovic attend the Adria Tour Final match between Dominic Thiem of Austria and Filip Krajinovic of Serbia on June 14, 2020 in Belgrade, Serbia.
Novak Djokovic of Serbia speaks to the media at a news conference on the upcoming Adria Tour tennis tournament at the Novak Tennis Centre on May 25, 2020 in Belgrade, Serbia.
Novak Djokovic returns the ball during a tennis doubles match at the court of the Novak Tennis Center following the opening program of the Adria Tour, a charity exhibition hosted by the Novak Djokovic Foundation on June 12, 2020 in Belgrade, Serbia.
(In Serve to Win, Djokovic recounts how he survived the bo...)
In Serve to Win, Djokovic recounts how he survived the bombing of Belgrade, rising from a war-torn childhood to the top tier of his sport. He reveals the diet that transformed his health and pushed him to the pinnacle.
Novak Djokovic is a Serbian tennis player who was one of the game's premier performers in the early 21st century when he won 17 Grand Slam titles. He is currently ranked world No. 1 in men's singles tennis.
Background
Ethnicity:
Novak Djokovic is of paternal Serbian and maternal Croatian descent.
Novak Djokovic was born on May 22, 1987, in Belgrade, SR Serbia, Yugoslavia (now Belgrade, Serbia), to Srdjan and Dijana Djokovic. Although Djokovic is the first member of his family to play tennis, sports run deep in his bloodline. Djokovic's father, Srdjan, skied competitively and taught lessons at a ski school in the Serbian resort town of Kopaonik. It was there that he met Djokovic's mother, who also taught skiing. Novak's two younger brothers, Marko and Djordje, have also played professional tennis.
Education
Following in his parents' footsteps, Djokovic took up skiing as a youngster. By this time, his parents were running a pancake and pizza restaurant in Kopaonik. When Djokovic was about four years old, a construction team built some tennis courts near the family restaurant. Jelena Gencic opened a tennis camp there and in no time, Djokovic was on the court.
As an adolescent, Djokovic remained loyal to his workout routine, despite the crisis going on in his country. In 1999, NATO forces began bombing Serbia in an effort to persuade then Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic to withdraw his troops, which were at war with the Albanians in Kosovo. NATO forces targeted Belgrade, the city where Djokovic lived. The air raids continued for more than two months but never scared Djokovic off the court. He honed his backhand and practiced his serves even as warning sirens pierced the air and bombs burst in the distance.
At the age of 12, Djokovic left home to train with former Croatian standout Nikola Pilic at his tennis academy in Munich, Germany. Before long, he was competing across Europe. In 2002, Djokovic was one of the hottest 16-and-under players on the European Tennis Association circuit, winning the U-16 championship at La Baule, France.
In 2003, Djokovic turned pro and played mostly in the Futures and Challenger circuits, ending the year with an ATP ranking of 676. In 2006, he earned his first ATP tour victory at the Dutch Open, followed with a second victory at the Moselle Open in Metz, France. In 2007, Djokovic's career took off - he won his first Masters Series event with a victory at the Miami Masters and followed up with another Masters victory at the Rogers Cup with an upset over Federer, the world's No. 1 player. Djokovic had never beaten Federer before. Within a few weeks, Djokovic reached his first-ever Grand Slam final at the United States Open, where he faced Federer again. Shaky - and playing before a crowd 23,000 strong - a nervous Djokovic, just 20, lost the final. He did, however, win five titles that year and ended the season ranked third, making him the youngest player in the top 20.
The year 2008 proved to be a breakout year for Djokovic as he beat Federer in the Australian Open semifinals and went on to defeat Tsonga in the finals. This gave Djokovic his first Grand Slam title. Djokovic was the youngest player in 23 years to win the Australian Open, and the first Serbian. He went on to win two more Masters events - at Indian Wells and Rome.
Djokovic's progress plateaued for almost three years, as he won just 10 ATP men's singles tournaments and reached only one Grand Slam final (the 2010 United States Open) between February 2008 and the end of 2010. His fortunes turned in December 2010 when he led the Serbian Davis Cup team to the country's first Davis Cup title. His Davis Cup victories marked the beginning of a 43-match winning steak - the third-longest such streak in the Open era (since 1968) - which included a second Australian Open title in January 2011. Djokovic's remarkable streak ended with a French Open semifinal loss to Federer, but his strong play helped him rise to the number one world ranking shortly after he defeated Rafael Nadal to capture the 2011 Wimbledon championship. Djokovic later defeated Nadal in the United States Open final to claim his third Grand Slam title of the year.
At the Australian Open in 2012, he again bested Nadal, winning a five-set thriller that lasted nearly six hours. The two met for the fourth consecutive Grand Slam final at the 2012 French Open, where Djokovic lost to Nadal in four sets. In 2013 Djokovic defeated Andy Murray to win his fourth Australian Open title and he captured another Wimbledon championship the following year when he beat Federer in a dramatic five-set final. He again beat Murray to capture his fifth career Australian Open in 2015, which made Djokovic the all-time leader in Australian Open men's singles championships during the Open era. After a loss in the 2015 French Open final, the top-ranked Djokovic bested Federer to win his third Wimbledon championship. He continued his hot play at the United States Open, beating Federer in the final to capture his 10th career Grand Slam title. Djokovic ran his winning streak in Grand Slam matches to 21 when he beat Murray in straight sets in the final of the 2016 Australian Open. He again bested Murray in a Grand Slam final at the 2016 French Open, giving Djokovic a career Grand Slam with his first French Open championship.
Djokovic reached the finals of the 2016 United States Open but lost a four-set match to Switzerland's Stan Wawrinka. He failed to advance past the quarterfinals in the first three Grand Slam tournaments of 2017 and in July he announced that he would not play the remainder of the year in order to treat an elbow injury that had been bothering him for the previous 18 months. He returned to play in January 2018. Djokovic slowly improved throughout the year and in July he won his fourth career Wimbledon title. Two months later he captured his third United States Open singles championship. In January 2019 Djokovic won his seventh career Australian Open singles title, the most in the history of that tournament. He then defended his Wimbledon title in epic fashion, defeating Federer in a four-hour 57-minute final (the longest in tournament history) that was decided in an unprecedented tiebreaker after the fifth set ended in a 12-12 tie. In 2020 Djokovic continued to dominate at the Australian Open, winning his 17th Grand Slam title.
Djokovic endorses Serbian telecommunications company Telekom Srbija and German nutritional supplement brand FitLine. In 2009, Djokovic signed a 10-year deal with the Italian clothing company Sergio Tacchini. In 2011, the sponsorship contract was terminated. In August 2011, Novak became the brand ambassador of Swiss watch manufacturer Audemars Piguet. Djokovic also signed a sponsorship deal with German car company Mercedes-Benz.
In March 2012, Novak was announced by Bombardier Aerospace as its latest Learjet brand ambassador. On May 23, 2012, Uniqlo appointed Djokovic as its global brand ambassador. A year later, Djokovic's long-term footwear deal with Adidas was announced. From January 2014 he has been endorsing French car manufacturer Peugeot. The next year, his partnership with Jacob's Creek, an Australian wine brand owned by Orlando Wines, was announced.
On May 22, 2017, Novak Djokovic was unveiled as a brand ambassador of Lacoste.
(In Serve to Win, Djokovic recounts how he survived the bo...)
2013
Religion
Novak is a devout member of the Serbian Orthodox Church. His devotion is often apparent on the tennis court, where Djokovic can be seen joining his hands in prayer, looking upward to thank God, when his opponent makes a mistake, and wearing a cross around his neck. In 2011, Novak was awarded the highest honor given by the Serbian Orthodox Church, called the Order of St. Sava of the First Degree, for his "active love towards Mother Church, particularly showing fervent and persistent helping to the Serbian people and the sanctuaries of the Holy Church."
Politics
Djokovic is a proud Serbian who has come to be a spokesperson for his country's image, even helping it along its pathway to European Union membership. Milka Forcan, a marketing specialist and former executive at Delta Holding said: "Novak with his results has already influenced a better image of Serbia, and his position as world Number One and winning the Wimbledon championship is going to underline that."
Views
In 2007, Djokovic founded the Novak Djokovic Foundation. The organization's mission is to help children from disadvantaged communities to grow up and develop in stimulating and safe environments. It has built 43 schools and supported almost 20,800 children and a thousand families.
Novak participated in charity matches with the aim of raising funds for the reconstruction of the Avala Tower and to aid victims of the 2010 Haiti earthquake and 2010-2011 Queensland floods. In August 2015, he was appointed a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador.
In March 2020, Djokovic and his wife announced that they will donate €1 million for the purchase of ventilators and medical equipment to support hospitals and other medical institutions.
Novak is considered to be an active proponent of natural healing and opposes vaccination.
Quotations:
"Tennis is a mental game. Everyone is fit, everyone hits great forehands and backhands."
"Building a solid foundation in the early years of a child's life will not only help him or her reach their reach their full potential but will also result in better societies as a whole."
"I had to listen to classical music because it calms me down, calms my nerves down."
"I think luck falls on not just the brave but also the ones who believe they belong there."
"Not everybody can like what I do, and if you feel that somebody is coming up closer to you and starting the rivalry and everything, you maybe change your position to him."
"In my case, I can sincerely say that nothing is impossible... When I was saying I want to be No. 1 of the world, and I was seven or eight years old, most of the people were laughing at me because it seems like I have one percent of chances to do that, and I've done it."
"I want the same thing I've wanted since I was 7 years old. I want to be No. 1."
"In terms of playing ability there is nothing to choose between number one and 100. Instead, it's a question of who believes and who wants it more? Which player is mentally stronger? Which player is going to fight the hardest in the big points? These are the things that determine who is the champion."
"I love being around people who care about me, and I care about them."
"I'm trying not to pay too much attention to the rankings because calculations can distract you."
"Joking around is part of my personality, just who I am."
"It gives me goose bumps and little butterflies in the stomach when I start thinking about the 'golden slam.'"
"Those born into poverty or on the margins of society require our extra support to realize their dreams."
"I always tried to win. I was as competitive as I am today."
"You have to consistently be successful to be one of the top players in the world, and everything is possible in life."
"I stopped thinking too much about what could happen and relied on my physical and mental strength to play the right shots at the right time."
Personality
Novak Djokovic plays with a ferocious indomitability on the court and owns a definitive, likable charisma off it. On the court, he is flashy and fun.
Djokovic speaks Serbian, English, French, German, and Italian.
Physical Characteristics:
Djokovic is skinny and known for bouncing the ball from 10 to 15 times before a serve. He is the 6 foot 2 inches, 176-pound rightie. Novak has a smooth, two-fisted backhand he can shoot down the line.
Novak is on a vegan diet and sometimes adds the consumption of fish to his dietary regimen.
Quotes from others about the person
Martina Navratilova: "I love his head - he's such a smart guy out there. I like his attitude, on and off the court."
Interests
languages, internet, music, movies
Writers
Suzanne Collins
Sport & Clubs
Red Star Belgrade, A.C. Milan, S.L. Benfica, golf
Athletes
Pete Sampras, Marat Safin
Music & Bands
R&B, house music, hip-hop, reggae
Connections
Novak Djokovic met his future wife, Jelena Ristić, in high school. They got married on July 10, 2014 in Montenegro. On April 24, 2014, Djokovic announced that he and Ristić were expecting their first child. Their son, Stefan, was born on October 21, 2014. Almost three years later, on September 2, 2017, their daughter, Tara, was born.
Novak Djokovic: And the Rise of Serbia
This revised and updated biography intertwines the incredible playing career of one of the best and most popular tennis players of all time with a history of how he came to rescue the image of a young, war-torn country on the world stage.
2014
Novak Djokovic: The Inspiring Story of One of Tennis' Greatest Legends
In Novak Djokovic: The Inspiring Story of One of Tennis' Greatest Legends, you will learn the inspirational story of one of tennis' premier legends, Novak Djokovic. Novak Djokovic has come a long way since reaching his first Grand Slam final in the 2007 US Open. There was little doubt that even in his defeat to fellow legend, Roger Federer, that Djokovic was going to be embarking on an illustrious tennis career.
2017
The Quest
By winning the 2016 Roland-Garros, Novak Djokovic entered tennis legend. After a decade of chase, the Serbian finally put his hands on the French Open trophy, completing his Career Grand Slam and achieving something no male player had done for 47 years: winning four Grand Slam titles in a row. The Quest is the inside story of this historical win, of a two-week chase after a trophy that was haunting Djokovic's dreams and nightmares.